This invention relates generally to cooking low-fat meat and, more specifically, to a cone shaped ceramic cooker that inserts into a central portion of a piece of meat for cooking the meat from both the inside and outside at the same time.
Many cooking apparatus include thin metal rods (i.e., spits) for holding meat above the flame of an open fire or above the heating element in an oven. The spit holds the meat above the heating element allowing fat and other juices to drip down away from the meat. Since the drained fat is kept away from the meat during cooking, the cooked meat contains less fat and is, in turn, more healthy to eat. While roasting meat above a heating element is in general more healthy, the roasted meat is often dried out and less juicy than grilled meat.
Spits also require special attachments that support the spit above the heating element. The spit and the associated attachment are expensive to manufacture, difficult to clean, and in general are not interchangeable between different cooking equipment. For example, the spit used on an outdoor barbecue is typically not interchangeable with a spit used in an oven.
It is also difficult to evenly roast large portions of meat on a spit. For example, the central portion of the meat receives less heat than the outside portion of the meat. Thus, the outside surface of a large piece of meat must be overcooked to ensure sufficient cooking in the center portion of the meat. Overcooking further dries out the meat reducing moistness and flavor.
Vertical roasters are available which sits on an oven tray or on a grill. The roaster is made from wire or tin and inserts into the center of a piece of meat. While the vertical roaster is portable between different cooking equipment, the metal structure of the roaster is not effective in conducting and retaining heat in a uniform manner for even cooking the meat from the inside. For example, the wire structure of the roaster only sears small linear sections on the inside of the meat. Thus, the inside of the meat is cooked unevenly.
Accordingly, a need remains for an inexpensive meat cooker that produces healthier, more appetizing cooked meats.